


The Empress has the Element of Surprise

by melatonin927



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Akechi lives, Gen, M/M, Post-Canon, Self Harm, could be vanilla/royal but no royal spoilers, tense conversations
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-28
Updated: 2020-06-28
Packaged: 2021-03-04 09:54:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,367
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24967771
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/melatonin927/pseuds/melatonin927
Relationships: Akechi Goro/Amamiya Ren, Akechi Goro/Kurusu Akira, Akechi Goro/Persona 5 Protagonist
Comments: 6
Kudos: 85





	The Empress has the Element of Surprise

"Akechi?"

The question comes from a darling voice among the street crowd. He didn't think his heartbeat could rise so rapidly. Not only is it a name he hasn't been called in years, but he already suspects exactly who it is without turning around.

He starts walking faster on instinct, weaving among the shoppers out buying gifts for the holidays. It should be simple enough to lose someone in a busy place like this.

"Wait!"

There's a place he is heading to. It's nearby, but he can afford a few detours in getting there. He ducks into the alley between two streets and emerges back into a crowd on the other side. He walks further down than necessary, takes another turn, keeps going. Only then does he glance over his shoulder to verify he isn't being followed.

A series of carefully chosen paths through the outskirts of the district eventually makes a broad circle back to his destination. He opens the door to a coffee shop that's colored in warm, brown tones and plants that are strangely nostalgic of summer. The aroma is distant and yet familiar. He settles into the atmosphere.

Releasing his tension with a sigh, he approaches the counter to read the menu—although he already knows what he wants, and he already has the menu memorized. He's what one might call a regular. Maybe more than a regular, something more like an esteemed dignitary. The employees give him knowing smiles, but they don't make much conversation, because Goro never strides further than the transaction.

"Could I get a large coffee for here, please?"

Somewhere in the back of his mind he registers the ringing of the bell on the door and makes nothing of it.

"Make that two."

He jumps where he stands. _The voice._

Goro swiftly turns his head to see Haru Okumura standing nonchalantly next to him. His blood runs cold.

"Okumura-san, good to see you! We'll have that right up," the barista informs.

She smiles sweetly to the employee and then at Goro. "I thought I recognized you."

He stares at her for a moment and then faces forward again. His mouth is dry of any sort of comeback.

"Let's sit, shall we?" Haru asks, but her tone says it's not a question. She guides him over to a table in the corner by the window. She hangs her coat on the back of the seat, Goro doesn't bother removing his.

Once seated, she rests her chin on interlaced fingers. "It's been awhile, Akechi. I wasn't even sure if you were alive. How have you been?"

Goro is desperately wishing he had the cup of coffee in hand so he could take a long drink as an excuse to collect his thoughts. He didn't expect or prepare to run into a phantom today.

"Well enough."

She keeps smiling and a silence drags on between their gazes.

"If you're wondering how I tracked you here, you're not as elusive as you think you are. I'm happy to see you like my shop though." She sits back in the chair, looking around with a gentle beam of approval.

"I wasn't aware you owned the establishment. I thought anything under that company would be brandished with 'Okumura' in neon lights above the sign," he deadpans.

Haru side-eyes him with a smirk. "I'm not that arrogant. If you could share what the appeal of the place is though, I'd love to report back to my team. I've been doing rounds on the locations."

Goro takes a steady breath, searching her jovial expression for something icy underneath. "It reminds me of Leblanc," he admits.

The slight smirk transitions to a grin and it looks genuine for a moment. "Some things are hard to let go of, hm?"

In the next conversation lull, the barista shows up with their coffees. Haru graciously thanks them and Goro immediately takes a scalding sip out of necessity. It's bitter and sweet for the moment before it fries his taste buds. He remains expressionless as he sinks into the feeling of the burn.

"You aren't very talkative; I remember you being more full of yourself."

"Pardon me, I'm not entirely delighted to be having this conversation." His leg is shaking impatiently under the table.

"It could be nice to reminisce with old teammates, if you're up for it."

"I'm not."

Haru takes a sip of her coffee and rests folded arms on the table.

"I often fantasized about strangling you," she says it with a disturbingly straight and pleasant expression, "Watching your face turn blue, digging my fingers into the veins of your neck, ending your life with my own hands. Hmph. But I have a business to run and priorities and you are, unfortunately, low on that list."

"I don't think I'd have a problem dealing with a second Okumura. The first one wasn't that formidable."

There's a flash of anger in her eyes. She doesn't yell or frown or lunge across the table at his throat, just calmly picks up the coffee cup again to take another sip, and for that, Goro respects her. They share that same bubbling rage, shoved laboriously into a calm demeanor.

"I'm not going to apologize, if that's what you want," he presses.

"Hardly. I would never pine for validation from someone so lowly. Although, I must admit, I didn't greet you with the intention of further making an enemy. I'm quite capable of looking forward."

"Thank you for the generosity, but I don't see the merit in entertaining past relationships."

"Speaking of past relationships, I'm curious: has Ren left us in the dark or is he also unaware you're frequenting coffee shops in his memory?"

That gets Goro to furrow his brow. "No, he doesn't, and I have no interest in digging up what's dead."

There's a glint of satisfaction in her eyes because she knows she has the upper hand with this topic and Goro hates himself for it. Hates how the very mention of Ren's name is still enough to make him curl up inside like a lovesick puppy.

"If you don't tell him, I will."

" _Don't_ interfere in my personal life," he warns.

" _Or you'll what?"_ her expression reads. Finishing her coffee, she stands up.

Haru presses her palms on the edge of the table and looms over him. "He would be thrilled to know you're alive. And probably sad that you've gone this long without reaching out. He's been quietly kicking himself for years over all the things he could've done to save you and you won't even do him the courtesy of a phone call. I'd like to think you've grown since then but maybe you're just as selfish as ever."

Goro only glares in response.

She leans back from the table and pulls her winter coat on, adjusts her hair around the collar. "I'll give you some time to mull over what to say. Coffee's on the house."

With that, Haru makes her exit with smiles and cheerful goodbyes to the staff.

When the bell rings and the door shuts, Goro finds his hands shaking around the coffee cup. He could crush it in one motion. The ceramic would break in jagged edges and whatever contents left would spill over the table, just like how he wishes his head would be right now.

 _How dare she_ waltz in after literal _years_ and act like they're simply old companions. As if there isn't a wide stretch of complications resulting from the fact that he's alive and that she knows and that she's threatening to tell the _one_ person he _swore_ to never hurt again.

 _Breathe._ Goro slowly removes his hands to hold them in his lap. _You have to breathe._ He tries to tune back into the gentle instrumental playing over the speakers and the clink of cups on their accompanying saucers.

He looks around. The shop feels different now after realizing it's Haru's, that there is a reason he is drawn to this one over every other coffee joint in town. Its roots are close to home, close to something he thought he was content with forgetting. Perhaps there's something worthwhile in a memory after all.


End file.
